Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jarthur!ucivax!orion.oac.uci.edu!ucsd!ames!ads.com!saturn!jgautier From: jgautier@vangogh.ads.com (Jorge Gautier) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: bridge building and discipline Message-ID: Date: 21 May 91 02:12:37 GMT References: <1259@grapevine.EBay.Sun.COM> <9105012313.AA23259@enuxha.eas.asu.edu> <1991May3.142824.208@keinstr.uucp> <1991May3.234349.14026@auto-trol.com> <4504.28267bad@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> <1991May9.053311.800@netcom.COM> <4563.282e83ea@iccgcc.decnet.a <4639. Sender: usenet@ads.com (USENET News) Organization: Advanced Decision Systems, Mountain View, CA 94043, +1 (415) 960-7300 Lines: 26 In-Reply-To: kambic@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com's message of 20 May 91 22:30:08 GMT In article <4639.283807a0@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> kambic@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (George X. Kambic, Allen-Bradley Inc.) writes: > I agree that a good manager can "sense" trouble before he can measure it, > but how does one know if project goals are being met if > there is no measurement of what's going on. What are the project goals? So many bugs per line of code, so much code exercised by tests, so many bugs found per hour, etc.? Or a satisfied customer? Can today's metrics really predict time, cost and customer satisfaction for all the different kinds of projects that are undertaken? > I also agree that the desire for > metrics is based on a desire to know, but if don't want to know quantitatively > about the project, what is it that you want to know, and of what value is that > information to understanding where the project is? I'm not saying I don't want to know quantitative information, but I think qualitative information is much more valuable and reliable. Assuming you can interpret it, which requires knowledge about and experience in software development and usage. Decision making by numbers is a poor substitute for qualitative judgement, although it makes for good entertainment if you can afford the time. -- Jorge A. Gautier| "The enemy is at the gate. And the enemy is the human mind jgautier@ads.com| itself--or lack of it--on this planet." -General Boy DISCLAIMER: All statements in this message are false.